Aid is help or support given to someone, especially in times of need or difficulty. It can be money, supplies, advice, or physical assistance.
From Old French *aidier* “to help,” from Latin *adiutare* “to assist, help.” The root *juvare* means “to help, benefit.”
Aid is often used in big, formal contexts—like “foreign aid” or “first aid”—but at its core it’s just structured, intentional help. Notice how many tools are named as “aids” when they’re designed to make a task easier.
In many languages, 'aid' and caregiving have been feminized, with women expected to provide unpaid or low-paid assistance in domestic and medical contexts. International aid narratives have also sometimes depicted women primarily as passive recipients rather than active agents.
Use 'aid' without assuming caregivers or recipients are of a particular gender, and highlight agency of people receiving aid when relevant.
["assistance","support"]
Women have led major humanitarian, medical, and mutual aid efforts, though their leadership has often been overshadowed by male-dominated organizations and official histories.
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